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Thursday, May 17, 2012

TESTOSTERONE STUDY IN OLDER MEN STOPPED EARLY DUE WITH GREATER HEART RISK

A placebo controlled
study using a 1 percent testosterone gel (Testim) in 700 older men
(aged 65 and older) was stopped early due a higher incidence of cardiovascular events
in the testosterone arm.

These findings contradict
those from a previously published study
performed in 2,416 men that reported that a 30% reduction in cardiovascular events
occurred in men with higher blood levels of testosterone.

The halted study associated
the higher incidence of events with higher total and free testosterone and
higher estradiol blood levels. The study does not provide relative risk
differences between testosterone and estradiol levels, so it is not known which
factor has the highest impact on cardiovascular risks.

Testosterone converts into
estradiol, a female hormone, via aromatization in the liver and other tissues. Previous
studies have shown that men with even slightly elevated estrogen levels doubled
their risk of stroke and had far higher incidences of coronary artery disease. High
estradiol can also cause enlargement of breast tissue, water retention and
possibly erectile dysfunction in men. However,
men with low estradiol are more prone to osteoporosis and cognitive loss, so a
good balance of this hormone is important for a man’s health.

Nelson Vergel, author of the
best-selling book Testosterone:
A Man’s Guide, said “ I am glad that the study authors suggest that a similar study
needs to be performed by providing not only testosterone supplementation but
also an aromatase inhibitor to assess if any decrease in cardiovascular events
is seen by decreasing testosterone conversion into estradiol. Reducing
aromatase conversion of testosterone into estradiol also frees up more
testosterone to do its job”.

The most popular aromatase
inhibitor used in men is anastrazole (brand name: Arimidex), which is dosed in
small oral doses 3 times a week. But a mixture of testosterone plus anastrazole
cream has recently entered the market.

“We are the only pharmacy that provides by
prescription a testosterone cream that has been formulated with anastrazole for
both products to be absorbed through the skin”,
said Jaime Rios, co-owner of APS Pharmacy , a
specialty pharmacy that ships economical hormone products nationwide. "This
cream makes it easy for men to control their estradiol without having to
remember to take an oral medication", added Rios.

More men’s clinics are
taking notice of balancing estradiol in men using testosterone. One of them is Defy Medical . “We
monitor estradiol closely in men served by our clinic and provide treatment
solutions that are affordable to any man”, said Jasen Bruce, clinic manager for
Defy." We also provide the most economical testosterone and estradiol
blood test to any man who wishes to have these hormones tested", added
Bruce.